Salem conference center plans draw mixed reviews

Daily Journal of Commerce (Portland, OR), Jun 18, 2002 by Stephanie Basalyga

Salem residents want a downtown building their city can claim as a landmark. But they're not sure the initial designs for a conference center, hotel and restaurant that were debuted during a public forum last week will fit the bill.

Planned for a city block that currently sits vacant on the north end of Salem's main business district, the project is a joint venture between the city and VIP's Industries, the company that owns Phoenix Inn hotels.

"This is a footprint," said Bob Zimmer of Seattle-based LMN Architects as he unveiled two general layout plans that will be presented to the Salem City Council next month.

The first plan features underground parking for 300 vehicles and room for eventual expansion that would double the initial 24,000 square feet of the conference center. The second plan, which includes an above-ground parking structure, is cheaper to build but doesn't allow any room for on-site expansion of the center, Zimmer said.

The architecture firm was looking for comments about how well each of the general layouts fit with the already existing downtown area.

But business owners, tourism advocates and potential facility users who attended the forum were more interested in discussing details. Like the exterior of the 200-room hotel, which they called "uninspired" and "cookie cutter." And whether the restaurant would offer a bar and lounge.

The city is courting public input for the project in light of what has been mixed local opinion. Some residents have welcomed the project, saying it will attract outside money to boost the city's flagging downtown district. Others say the conference center and hotel will draw too much traffic to an already congested area.

David Fridenmaker, the director of planning and construction for Salem-Keizer Public Schools, attended the forum with the hope that the conference center would provide a place for the district to hold large-scale events, such as high school graduations and district meetings. He was disappointed to learn the center will only be able to serve 1,500 people, not enough to accommodate the 2,500 people who usually attend a graduation ceremony.

The purpose of the center isn't to provide a one-stop solution for everyone, said John Russell, the city's redevelopment supervisor. Instead, it will be designed to fill what in the past has been a lack of Salem rental space for medium-sized conferences and meetings.

Local hotels and facilities in the city can accommodate small- scale events. The Oregon State Fairgrounds can offer space for larger trade shows. But there's been nothing in Salem to fit the needs of groups such as the Oregon Building Industries Association, which holds four member meetings per year, selecting spots around the state.

Although the organization has headquarters in Salem, the city has never been a viable location for the group meetings, said Jenn Smith, the association's services director. That may change once the conference center opens.

"It's something we'll definitely look into," Smith said. "It will give us an option."

By the time the project is complete, the city expects as much as $35 million will have been invested. About $18 million, provided by urban renewal funds, will be used to build the conference center.

The city is investigating the cost of obtaining a silver rating for the center through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a national program which recognizes buildings for meeting specific standards in sustainability. Hotel owner VIP's also has discussed creating an environmentally sensitive building, said Alan Costic of Arbuckle Costic Architects Inc., the Salem firm hired to act as the city's representative in the design process.

While city officials and LMN Architects continue to fine-tune overall aspects of the project, local residents say they want to be kept appraised of more specific details as they arise. Retired meeting planner Larry Hall, for example, wants to know whether the conference center will include the latest in technological hookups necessary to attract exhibitors to events.

Those answers could come in a few weeks. LMN Architects will be back in Salem conducting a public forum on July 2 to present more definite designs for the conference center and hotel. The city council will vote on the designs during a July 8 meeting.

The quick pace is necessary to allow the project to break ground by next April, with plans to have the conference center and hotel ready to open doors by April 2004.

The city has been discussing building a conference center for the past decade, Russell said. The idea has become even more timely as city officials look for a way to boost Salem's downtown business district, which has experienced an increasing number of vacant storefronts in recent years.

Some Salem residents have resisted the project, however. They say the city, which already doesn't have enough money in its budget to fix potholes and boost public safety, shouldn't dip into its general fund to pay for the operating expenses of the center, which are expected to run at a deficit of as much as $700,000 per year.